abney



UNITED STATES PATENT Orr-ICE.

DITE. H. ABNEY, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TOGEORGE \V. ROSE, OF SAME PLACE.

SHOE-LACE FASTENING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 493,202, dated March 7,1893.

Application filed A ia 1 2, 1892.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DITE. H. ABNEY, of Kansas City, Jackson county,Missouri, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements 5 in Claspsfor Shoe-Strings, &c., of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forminga part hereof.

My invention relates to clasps for retaining the free ends of thelacing-strings of shoes, and which are also equally adapted for attachment to various other articles of wearingapparel, such as corsets,neglig shirts, and the like; and the objects of my invention are toproduce a clasp which shall be simple,

strong, durable and inexpensive in construction, and neat and ornamentalin appearance, and also capable of securely retaining the free end ofthe lacing string or cord without poszo sibility of lacerating the same,and which, furthermore, shall cause no inconvenience to the user.

A further object of my invention is to produce a clasp which, inaddition to the advan- 2 5 tages above enumerated, shall be capable ofready application to and detachment from the shoe or other article ofpersonal wear, without necessitating the use of special implements ormachinery, and also without requiring the service of a skilled assistantor workman.

To the above purposes, my invention consists in certain peculiar andnovel features of construction and arrangement, as hereinafter 3 5described and claimed.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, 1 will proceed todescribe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

0 Figure 1 is a perspective View of the upper front portion of a lacedshoe with my improved clasps applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an inner sideelevation of a portion of the upper of the shoe with one of my improvedfasteners applied thereto; the said view showing the attaching devicesfor the clasp. Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view of one of myimproved clasps. Fig. 4 is an edge view of the same.

In the said drawings, 1 designates the bodyportion orbase of the clasp,said body-portion SerialNo.428,763- (No model.)

or base being preferably of disk-form, and entirely closed, and also ofany suitable or preferred dimensions, according to the particular kindof articles of personal wear to which the clasp isto be applied. Asshown, this body-portion or base consists of a front portion 1 and arear portion 2 which is placed in direct contact with the rear side ofthe front portion 1 and which is secured thereto by the margin 3 of thesaid front portion; the said margin 3 being bent or spun in such manneras to embrace the margin of the rear portion 2. It is to be understood,however, that these two portions 1 and 2 may also be secured together inany other suitable or preferred manner,'as by riveting, soldering, orthe like.

The base or body portion 1 is formed with two lateral and parallelspring-arms 3 which constitute the clasping members of the device, andwhich are preferably of precisely similar form. Each of theseclasping-arms is preferably united integrally at its inner end with thebody-portion or base 1,and is in the form of a fragment of a spiral, sothat said arms extend obliquely outward and upward from the body-portionor base 1 and in the same plane therewith.

It is to be particularly observed that the clasping arms 3 are whollyand entirely outside of and away from the body-portion 1 of the clasp,such arms extending laterally from the body-portion in the same plane asthe face of said body-portion, and being united only at their inner endsto one side of said body-portion. These two arms are entirely separatefrom each other'throughout their length, and their resiliency causessaid arms to normally press closely against each other, 0 as shown. Theouter extremities of these arms 3 are formed with oppositely divergentends 4, which serve as guides to direct the free end of the lacingstring or cord between the. arms, as hereinafter explained. From 5the-rear or inner surface or side of the base or body-portion 1 extend anumber of attaching-arms 5 which are of any suitable or preferred metalor other material combining sufficient strength for securely connectingthe loo device to the shoe or other article, with sufficient flexibilityto enable the arms to be bent or clinched, so as to retain the device inits required position, as hereinafter explained.

6 designates a stud or head, the stem or shank 7 of which is united,either integrally or otherwise, to the body-portion or base 1 preferablyat the center of the same, and which projects horizontally outward fromsaid body-portion or base; the said head or stud being preferably formedintegrally with the outer end of the stem or shank 7, but beingpermissibly suitably secu red to said shank, if preferred.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, 8 designates the front upper portion ofa laced shoe, 12 the lacing-opening of the same, 9 the usuallacing-hooks, 10 the lacing eyes or holes, and 11 the lacing string orcord. The lacing string or cord is shown as first passed through theusual eyes or holes 10 and then as crossed and laid around thelacing-hooks 9 in the usual manner. After the lacing cord or string hasbeen so laced, its free ends are frequently much too long, forsightliness or convenience, and in such event, the free ends of thestring are wound several times around the shanks or stems 7 of the headsor studs 6, until the desired length of string is taken up. Theremaining ends of the string are now inserted between the divergentguideextensions 4, and are forced downward between the claspingspring-arms 3. Said springarms thus securely retain the free ends of thestring, and absolutely prevent all possibility of the ends becomingdetached accidentally either from between the clasping-arms,or from thestuds 6.

It is to be observed that, when the user attaches the clasps to the shoeor other article, a number of slight openings are made at the properpoints, with a common pen-knife, a scissors-blade, or the like, and theflexible arms of the clasps are inserted into said openings and bentagainst the inner surface of the material of which the article iscomposed, as shown in Fig. 2. When the article to which the clasps havebeen thus attached becomes worn out, the flexible arms are simply benthack into straight position, and the clasps may then be readily detachedfrom the article.

It is to be further understood that the clasps may be made either ofplain or suitably ornamented metal, or other suitable material, eitherplated, j apanned, or otherwise treated, as desired. When used uponcorsets, neglig shirts, or other garments, the position and operation ofthe clasps are substantially the same as that above described, and itwill be seen that the clasps are so attached that the arms 3 shallextend obliquely upward from the bodyportion of the clasp as shown, andin the same plane therewith. It is obvious, also that but a single claspmay be employed in situations where but a single binding cord or stringis used, as in reticules, bags, grips, and the like;

it being my intention to apply theclasp or clasps to all classes ofdevices using lacing or binding cords or similar attachments.

From the above description, it will be seen that I have produced a claspwhich is simple, strong, durable, and inexpensive in construction, andcapable of application to a great variety of articles both for wearingapparel and other purposes; that the clasp is readily applied to anddetached from the article, without requiring the use of specialimplements or machinery, or the services of skilled workmen, and thatthe clasp securely retains the free ends of lacing or binding cords orstrings, and also takes up all superfluous lengths of said cords orstrings.

It is to be f nrther observed that, by virtue of the described form andrelative positions of the parts composing the clasp, the free end of thelacing string or cord is securely re tained between the clasping-arms 3in such manner as to render any injury to or laceration of the string orcord utterly impossible.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A clasp for shoes, other articles of wear, 850., comprising a closedbody-portion or base, a stem or shank projecting outwardly from saidbody-portion, a head or stud carried at the outer end of said stem orshank, and a pair of parallel spring-arms extending wholly outside ofand laterally from and beyond the bodyportion, at one side thereof, andin substantially the same plane as the body-portion, and havingdivergent outer ends operating as guides, and a number of flexibleattachingarms projecting inwardly from the bOClY-POIF tion,substantially as set forth.

2. A clasp for shoes, or other articles of wear, 850., comprising aclosed body portion or base, formed of similar adjacent leaves, a pairof parallel spring arms integral with and extending wholly outside ofand laterally from and beyond the body-portion, at one end thereofcurving upwardly and outwardly to conform exteriorly one with the otherand in substantially the same plane as the body portion, and havingdivergent outer ends servin g as guides, a stud passing centrallythrough the body-portion at the side of the union of the inner ends ofthe spring arms with the side of the body portion, and a number ofinwardly extending and flexible attaching arms, projecting from the bodyportion, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in he presence of twowitnesses.

DITE. I-I. ABNEY.

Witnesses:

J NO. L. CONDRON, H. E. PRICE.

